GS Warriors sign Kwame Brown

Having struck out on attempts to acquire free-agent centers Tyson Chandler and DeAndre Jordan and All-Star point guard Chris Paul, the Warriors on Tuesday signed 2001 No. 1 overall pick Kwame Brown to a one-year, $7 million contract.

Brown is a 6-foot-11, 270-pound 29-year-old who joins Andris Biedrins as the only true centers on the Warriors’ roster. Coach Mark Jackson said this week that power forwards David Lee, Ekpe Udoh and Lou Amundson could also log center minutes.

Brown has played for five teams in 10 NBA seasons, averaging 6.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.6 blocks for his career. After five consecutive seasons of averaging fewer than six points and six rebounds, he had somewhat of a comeback year in Charlotte. Reunited with Michael Jordan, who drafted him first to Washington in 2001, Brown averaged 6.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 66 games for the Bobcats in 2010-11.

Brown was consistently rated as the “best high school player” in his class, which also included high school standouts Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. He finished his high school career at Glynn Academy (Brunswick, Georgia) as the school’s all-time leading rebounder (1,235) and shot-blocker (605) and finished second all-time as a scorer.

The NBA hasn’t been so kind to him. He let down huge expectations in his rookie season, averaging 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds a game.

After three years in Washington, Brown rejected a five-year, $30 million offer to test the free-agent market after his fourth season. He was traded to the Lakers in 2005 for Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins.

Once Andrew Bynum emerged in Los Angeles, Brown was dealt to Memphis as part of a package that landed Pau Gasol in 2008. That offseason, Brown signed a two-year, $8 million with Detroit. In 2010, he got a one-year deal from Jordan with Charlotte.